For many, the smartphone’s
utility has assumed such remarkable proportions that it is now being relied on
as a first-hand source of news, information, entertainment and a fitting tool
for retaining a handle on our increasingly interconnected world.
Considering the multiple
applications on which data is expended on a smartphone and with data connection
rates still comparatively pricey in Nigeria; most smartphone owners are
constantly in a perpetual fix on how to manage this most important resource in
order to avoid missing out on the latest information.
In view of the foregoing, the
Research/Development Unit of Yudala – Nigeria’s fastest growing composite
e-commerce outfit – shares simple tips on how to reduce your device’s data
consumption.
1.Use
Wi-Fi whenever possible and for sharing large files: Your
smartphone or other mobile device has Wi-Fi capability. You can use this reduce your data consumption
in your home, office or other locations by connecting to available wireless
network(s). You can also tweak your settings for automatic connection to a
secure Wi-Fi network when you arrive at home or the office. Once connected,
your phone’s cellular data can be turned off and conserved.
Wi-Fi also comes in handy when
you are downloading or sharing large files. Heavy files can quickly eat in to
your smartphone’s data. Same applies to automatic application updates. To
reduce your data usage, these heavy consumptions should be done when connected
to a secure Wi-Fi network.
2.Set
up a data usage limit/alerts: Most Android smartphones come
equipped with an in-built data monitor. This functionality, which can be
accessed in your phone’s settings tab, can help you keep an eye on your data
consumption. The beauty of this feature is that through it, you can see how
much data is being consumed by each of the apps on your smartphone, thus
identifying the ones you need to keep a strict eye on. For other devices such
as Apple’s IOS, you may see how much data has been consumed in total but may
need to install an app to ascertain data consumption per app.
With this information, you can
set up data usage limits/alerts to manage your usage. Also, heavy
data-consuming apps can have their data access curtailed or you can choose
which ones to uninstall.
3.Stick
to the mobile versions of websites: While using your smartphone
data for browsing, you can save a lot of megabytes if you avoid using websites’
apps for platforms such as YouTube, Facebook; that favourite sport site or
gossip blog by using the mobile site instead. To do this, simply access the
mobile version of a website by typing www.m.
before the sitename when launching the browser. Furthermore, some websites
often ask to re-direct the user to its Desktop version. To avoid burning
through your data, simply decline and stick to the mobile version.
4.Manage
or disable push notifications: Push notifications refer to data
automatically sent to your phone without user interaction. For those who are constantly active on
multiple social networks, this may dramatically affect data consumption as the
various notifications from your social media channels – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc., pour in.
While some of these notifications, such as work-related emails, can be
necessary; others may not be so crucial. To keep your data lasting for longer,
ensure you disable push notifications, automatic app updates and other such
notices when you don’t need them.
5.Compress
your data: There are a number of apps that can help compress
data on your smartphone and other devices. Some of them have the capability to
go as far as extending your data plan. Google’s Chrome browser, for example, has
a feature that can help reduce your data consumption significantly. According
to Google, this option can save you about 50% in data by routing all your web
browsing through Google’s servers which takes the data, compresses it,
optimizes it for the smaller screen and sends it back to your device. This
option can be activated in the Settings tab and can help prevent you from
running out of data all the time.
6.Apply
caution when streaming: Content streaming is responsible for much of
data consumption. HD video streaming, for instance, can drain a sizeable amount
of your device’s data within an hour. Same applies to audio/music streaming or
spending time looking through some of the high quality images or GIF files seen
on Instagram and other social media channels. In order to conserve your data
usage, caution should be applied when it comes to content streaming.
While it is absolutely impossible
to totally avoid the entertaining fare that comes with streaming, there are
smart ways to do this without burning through your data. One of this is by
storing music, videos and other multimedia content on your smartphone. Video
quality can also be set at lower rates and resolution reduced for sites such as
YouTube when streaming.
ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!
